Tag: zynga

Zynga shifts focus to mobile games

| March 22, 2013

zynga mobile gamesZynga sees a future in mobile games

Zynga, the once-titan of social and mobile games, has been suffering from recent internal turmoil and consumer fallout. Last year, the company saw the exodus of several executives and the shockingly poor performance of its latest games. This poor performance came with feedback from consumers that suggested that the company was blatantly copying other popular games in order to attract more players. Zynga has survived several episodes of shedding employees over the past year and has managed to refocus itself on mobile games, hoping to reclaim its throne in the industry.

Tablets may be Zynga’s ideal platform

Zynga made its name with social games through its tight partnership with Facebook. In 2012, that partnership dissolved. Since then, Zynga has been working to take a new approach to its games in order to win favor with consumers once again. The company has set its sights on mobile games, noting the rising popularity of mobile devices and the willingness of mobile consumers to play such games. Zynga President Steve Chiang believes that tablets, in particular, is where Zynga will reclaim its success.

Tablets considered to be ultimate game platform for Steve Chiang

Zynga suggests that tablets are the ultimate game platform. Tablets are typically equipped with better hardware than smartphones, allowing for better performance in mobile games. Larger, more responsive screens also mean more detail in these games and better controls. Chiang suggests that FarmVille 2, the second rendition of the game that made Zynga a phenomenon, offers a better experience on a tablet device. The game, as well as other titles from Zynga, will make its way to tablet devices as Zynga focuses more on the mobile space.

Mobile games expected to become flagship brand for Zynga

Mobile games currently account for 30% of Zynga’s revenue. Much of the company’s resources are still devoted to social games, as many of its titles are still very popular on social networks like Facebook. By the end of 2013, however, mobile games are expected to become the prominent focus for the company and will begin to overshadow the social games that the developer has been created for several years.

New program could help developers find success in mobile games market

| February 24, 2013

Mobile Games MarketExecution Labs teams with Chartboost to provide entry into mobile games

Execution Labs, a Canadian gaming incubator, has announced that it is teaming up with Chartboost, a mobile games advertising and monetization startup. Together, the two companies are forming a matchmaking program that is targeted at independent game developers. The program is meant to help developers promote their work, but not to consumers. Through the program, developers will have an opportunity to share their talents with one another, helping build network connections throughout the game industry.

Lab Partners designed with independent developers in mind

The program is called Lab Partners and has a primary focus on independent developers of mobile games. The idea is to give developers a way to connect with each other and tap into the skills of their colleagues while also being able to promote new mobile games to potential consumers. Big name developers like Zynga and Rovio are able to direct millions of gamers to their new titles by marketing in their older gamers, something that smaller development studios rarely do effectively. The program may help solve this problem by giving developers access to tools that can help them expand their reach.

Competition is fierce for newcomers

It is becoming for new mobile games developers to enter into the market, even if they have innovative ideas for games. According to a recent Distimo report, only 2% of the top 250 developers on the Apple App Store are considered new to the market. Lab Partners is designed to make it easier for developers to find success in the competitive mobile games market through connecting developers to one another and allowing them to promote their skills and products more effectively.

Larger developers continue to overshadow smaller developers

The mobile games market is currently crowded with new developers, but few of these studios manage to get attention because of the overwhelming presence of larger organizations. Large developers account for millions of gamers, who have little need to look elsewhere for the mobile games they are interested in. Lab Partners may provide smaller developers with the edge they need to establish a stronger presence in this market.